


A Heart made of Fire

by Axlaida



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: A Plant Wrote This, AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Ice Skating, Alternate Universe - Superpowers, Angst with a Happy Ending, Communication, Emotional Support, Fugitive Katsuki Yuuri, Getting to Know Each Other, Government Experimentation, Hiding, Hiding in Plain Sight, Human Experimentation, Hunted, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Katsuki Yuuri has Powers, Lies, M/M, Mystery, On Hiatus, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Character Tags to be Added - Freeform, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Secrets, Slow Build, Superpowers, Supportive Victor Nikiforov, There will be comfort, Trust Issues, Warnings May Change, technically
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-07-13 15:24:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16020692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Axlaida/pseuds/Axlaida
Summary: When Victor Nikiforov found a homeless man outside his doorstep, he never expected the man to worm his way in and completely turn his life upside down.Now Victor found himself pulled in a web of lies, secrets, and surprises as he searches to discover the truth behind the man named YK29112.[ON HIATUS]





	1. YK29112

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta-ed. Any mistakes are my own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The tags are where I question the content I write.
> 
> However, I'm back to my old roots and I've been so excited to get this fic out! I've missed updating, writing, planning, all that jazz, and I've been dying to get a multi-chaptered fic out for a while. And here it is!!
> 
> I hope you all enjoy it and thank you so much for being interested in my fic. Kudos and comments are always appreciated!  
> ❤⃛ヾ(๑❛ ▿ ◠๑ )

 

Victor suddenly awoke with every thought in high definition.

Though his eyes are open, he couldn’t explain why. His heart was pounding yet his mind was frantic, and he sat up in his bed, scanning his dark bedroom. He strained to see anything in the darkness, but he recognized the strange shapes – the boxes piled in the corner of the room, and Makkachin’s body by his door, just as alert as Victor.

But Makkachin’s awareness didn’t help ease his heart. It meant if she suddenly woke up too, something wasn’t right.

He inhaled a long breath and held it, hoping to steady his pounding heart and strained his ears to listen. He needed the silence to hear – the nothingness to work on his side. He waited for something, anything, either a crash or a creak of the floorboard, footsteps or a voice. He stayed silent, waiting.

And then he heard it, the discrete scraping of metal clanging together that frightened Victor. His heart jumped to his throat, but any noise that threatened to escape was held silent by his hand against his mouth. He heard Makkachin’s low threatening growl, confirming that he definitely heard something, but also reminding Victor that he was safe. He had Makkachin to scare the culprit away.

In the darkness, he moved slowly enough to not make a sound, but fast enough to reach for some clothes. He slipped into pants and a shirt previously flung on the floor. If he was to approach this, he’d rather be wearing clothes than nothing at all, but the realization that he _was_ going to approach this and face the culprit had his heart on edge, his lungs empty.

He shouldn’t be so brave, but he wasn’t going to let somebody break into his new home either.

He grabbed hold of Makkachin’s collar as he slowly opened his bedroom door. He held back the companion who was too eager to chase after the noise, keeping her under control and grounded as he stood still for a moment to listen. He heard it again – a sound that Victor identified as rummaging. The culprit was searching through something, and as Victor strained his ears to listen further, he recognized the sound.

It was coming from outside. The metal was enough of a hint, but the rummaging gave Victor his answer; something – or _someone_ – was searching through his trash.

He didn’t feel so afraid anymore, and his heart steadied as he let out a frustrated breath. It was in the early hours of the morning; he had a busy day ahead of him to unpack the dozens of boxes and settle into his new home. The _last_ thing Victor needed was an animal disturbing his sleep because it was hungry, or perhaps even a person to do the same thing.

He kept Makkachin close as he moved down the stairs. He didn’t fear the culprit enough to stay quiet anymore. He wanted them to hear him. If it was an animal, it should run away the second Victor opens his door, and especially when he sends Makkachin chasing after it; the animal should never think to come back again.

But if it was a person, he wasn’t entirely sure what he’d do.

A slam at the door nearly sent Victor falling. He collapsed on the stairs as his hand pressed to his pounding chest. A gasp fell from his lips as he scrambled back. Makkachin’s barks thundered louder than the crash at his door and Victor let go of her collar from the shock. She went racing as Victor’s mind frantically searched what to do next.

But Victor didn’t _know_ what to do next. He could go outside to face whatever had scared him, or stay inside where it was safe, secure, and didn’t hold any threats. It wasn’t an easy decision, but somewhere during his pondering, like a switch, something flipped inside his mind.

Despite the fear, he found the courage to rise to his feet. He moved forward, slowly making his way down the stairs until he peered around the corner, and he scanned the hallway that leads to his front door. His conscious choice may be stupid, but the determination not to be ruled by fear had him continue onwards.

Makkachin was by the door, but she wasn’t barking like Victor had expected. It should have been a relief. If she wasn’t barking, whoever was there should be gone, but she was pawing at the door instead. Her nails scratched at the wood, whining to be let out. Her silence was comforting, but her desire to leave left Victor unnerved. This wasn’t her normal behavior.

He reached for the door handle but paused for a moment to breathe. He reassured himself that nobody was outside. He hadn’t yet seen a figure move past the obscure glass window on his door, but Makkachin was still pawing and whining, wanting to get outside. It didn’t help convince Victor that he was alone, but he refused to shy away from what was out there. It was now or never.

He took another long breath, grabbed Makkachin’s collar, and he opened the door.

At first, he was met with nothing peculiar. He glanced to his left, then to his right, and nothing seemed out of place, not until he looked down at what Makkachin was sniffing at, and the sight took Victor by surprise.

There was a man on his doorstep. It was someone he’d never seen before, but that was likely as he had just moved in. His hair was a perfect mop of black, and he appeared to be so skinny beneath the small, torn up shirt he was wearing. It clung to his bones and hung where it shouldn’t. He had no shoes on his feet, but they were bloodied and torn, leaving small droplets of blood on the concrete doorstep where he laid with his arms wrapped tightly around his knees. His eyes were closed and his face held no trace of life. It was like he was breathing without being alive, and Victor feared he may be dead, but the gentle rise and fall of his shoulders eased his panic.

Victor expected many things when opening the door, but a homeless man sleeping on his doorstep wasn’t one.

He cleared his throat. “Uh, excuse me, sir?” He asked as he reached down to gently shake the man’s shoulders. He was a little frustrated with the man for making such a ruckus outside his home, but Victor wasn’t one to turn away from someone who might need his help. “Are – are you alright?”

His stomach twisted with nerves when the man didn’t move, and when Victor shook his shoulder again, he remained silent – still. With his feet torn and his inability to wake up, it did nothing to reassure Victor that the man was okay.

It began a series of questions to explode inside his mind, and Victor swore under his breath. “Shit, Makka…” He muttered as he watched the companion sniff the strangers face. “What do we do?” He asked, hoping, but not expecting to receive a response.

She began licking the stranger's face and it seemed to stir something out of the man. His face twitched and he weakly moved his head away from Makkachin’s kisses. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for Victor to exhale a relieved breath. The man was somewhat conscious. It was a good sign.

But somewhere during his frantic debate, Victor moved the man into his home. He navigated his way past piles of unopened boxes and furniture he had yet to organize, and rested the man down on his couch to keep him comfortable and warm.

Victor slipped into autopilot as he searched for a spare pillow and blanket. He may not know what to do for the man, but he knew ways to help him while he was unconscious. His brain prepared him for every possible scenario it could, finding solutions to problems that didn’t yet exist – just in case.

He couldn’t find a pillow, but he had a blanket, and he laid it over the man’s body. He tucked him in, keeping him warm and cozy beneath the soft blanket with the added benefit of Makkachin’s company. The blanket wasn’t much but it would do for now. It was better than him lying out in the cold, which reminded Victor of his feet – his cold, injured feet.

He wasn’t a professional at medical care. He knew the basics – cleaning the wound before bandaging it, and Victor did exactly that. He grabbed a soft sponge and a bowl of water, and carefully cleaned the man’s feet. He was cautious of his injuries, and although the man stirred a little, he didn’t wake up as Victor finished one foot and moved onto the next.

He checked the man’s injuries. They ranged from little scratches to deep gashes, covering his pale skin in a bloody mess that stained Victor’s couch. It wasn’t just blood on his feet, but dirt too, and Victor pondered if he’d just been running through a forest.

Victor heart skipped uneasily as looked behind him and stared past the window. He couldn’t see beyond the void of darkness, but he knew it was where the forest began. He wasn’t sure what to assume – whether the man had been running or was chased by something. He already didn’t like it.

The man wouldn’t be walking for a while, which meant he was housebound unless Victor called for an ambulance, but that was a worry for when the man wakes up. For now, Victor’s focus was on bandaging his feet. He finished bandaging his left foot, but when he moved to his right, something caught his eye. He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, but upon further investigation, Victor noticed a small tattoo on the man’s ankle.

“YK29112,” He read aloud, and his brows dropped as his head cocked to one side. “YK291… what does that mean?”

Victor didn’t have a tattoo himself; he never saw the appeal, but the stranger’s left him thinking.

Nothing was adding up in his mind. It didn’t make sense and he couldn’t put together a scene to help him understand. There were more paths than clues, and Victor slumped back in his seat, defeated. Whatever the truth was, it wouldn’t be discovered until the man woke up. Victor gave up trying to figure it out.

He sat by the man’s side after a while. He grabbed a clean cloth to wash away the grime on his face but for someone who appeared to be homeless, he was so clean. His skin was smooth and soft like Victor’s own. A light pink blush painted across his cheeks and to the tip of his nose, frozen from the cold air, and Victor couldn’t help his lingering eyes.

If he looked closer, it wasn’t hard to tell that his skin had abrasions. There were little scratches across his cheeks and neck, old scars that marked his near flawless skin. They were battle wounds, each with their own story, and Victor’s fingers twitched with a desire to touch. He couldn’t deny it, but the man was beautiful.

He shouldn’t touch, and it wasn’t his proudest moment when he gave in, but he couldn’t help himself. He held his breath as his fingertips ghosted across the man’s cheek, afraid he’ll stir, but he didn’t move as Victor gently cupped the side of his face. His thumb stroked across his cheekbone. His skin was so cold but so smooth, like silk, and irresistibly soft; it was hard for him not to pull away.

But when Victor saw a flash of red, his heart stopped entirely as a hand seized his wrist. His mind didn’t catch up until he realized that the red he saw was the stranger’s wide eyes, who was very much awake and holding Victor’s hand away.

His chest heaved heavily along with his panting breath. His hold on Victor’s wrist was tight and Victor struggled to hold back his hiss of pain as the man fought to shuffle back. He didn’t go far, held immobile by his injured feet and forced into the corner of the couch. He wasn’t going anywhere. But Victor feared the adrenaline in his eyes – the burn that was prepared to attack and flee.

But Victor didn’t move. He would have pulled away, but he found himself falling into a pool of deep lava – and he was happy to do so. He couldn’t turn away and he didn’t dare blink, afraid that if he did, those eyes would turn to normal and he’d feel crazier than he already did. There was no possible way that somebody could have eyes as crimson as the mans'. They were pure red – no hints of blues, greens, or browns. They were a sea of blood within his eyes, like poppies, and fire, and the brilliant reds of the sun. They held Victor in a unique stare – a longing trance – and he couldn’t turn away.

If this man could get any more peculiar, Victor might just never let him go. There was something more to him, something further than just a homeless man with red eyes, and Victor wished to know.

“W-who are you?” The man asked with a tremble in his voice, pulling Victor out of his spell. He tugged his hand back and held it to his chest, watching the man anxiously look around the room, afraid of his unknown surroundings. “Where am I?”

Victor’s mouth fell agape, ready to speak but his words fell silent. He didn’t know where to begin or how to explain to the man what had happened because even Victor didn’t know himself. He had hoped the man would tell him, but as Victor met his terrified, but still deeply red eyes, he decided to try to question further.

“I, uh… I found you outside my house,” he began, then cleared his throat. Why did he sound so nervous? “I don’t know what happened, or if you hit your head or…?” He trailed off, praying that the man would finish his sentence, but he remained silent.

Victor exhaled a heavy breath, trying, but failing to ease his pounding heart. The panic in the man’s eyes didn’t fade and that was the last thing Victor wanted him to feel. He was there to help him, but it seemed the man wasn’t so willing to trust Victor just yet. He made the conscious decision to move back. He needed space to breathe – they both do.

“Are you okay?” Victor then asked, and the question seemed to take the man back. He appeared confused, which left Victor feeling the same way. “You weren’t waking up before and your feet were injured. It seemed like you were… I don’t know, but I cleaned them up for you. I just don’t think you’ll be walking around for a while.”

The man looked down at his feet, and his brows dropped as he asked, “What did you do to me?”

And like a switch, something changed, and Victor’s stomach locked tight. The stranger’s face fell, breaking apart against the despair that plagued his eyes and invaded his mind. He struggled to breathe, desperately panting as he reached for the bandages. Victor stopped him from unraveling them, prying his hands away but he was met with terrified smacks in retaliation. He hadn’t expected such a reaction out of the man, and calming him down felt like an impossible task.

“I-I just cleaned your wounds!” Victor reassured the panicking man. He held him back but refrained from trying to grab him. He had a feeling it wouldn’t help him calm down, but reassurance did the trick as the man stopped reaching for the bandages, and instead, waited for Victor to explain further. “I didn’t… do anything bad. I’ve cleaned them so they won’t get infected, and the bandages will help.”

There was a moment of silence – just one.

“You helped me?”

“I did,” Victor confirmed, and while that didn’t settle the man’s panicked stare, it stopped him from reacting. It eased his frantic slaps and heavy panting, and allowed him to breathe as he fell back on the couch. Victor didn’t know what to make of his reaction, but he tried not to think too hard about it as he asked, “Are you alright now?”

The man covered his face, as if he was hiding his embarrassment, and mutely nodded. “I just thought you did something to me.”

Victor wasn’t sure why, but his stomach twisted into knots – nervous, uneasy knots.

“No, no. I… I did something to make sure nothing _would_ happen to you,” He emphasized, and watched as the man slowly lowered his hands. Victor then had a thought – one that made him inspect the man’s slim face. It wasn’t just his feet that needed his assistance, and Victor noted that to himself as he offered, “Do you… want something to eat?”

Hungrily, the man stared back. “What are you offering?”

Victor glanced towards his kitchen – his messy, unfinished kitchen where he should have unpacked everything hours ago. He didn’t have any leftovers for the man, or food in his fridge, but he might have bread, and Victor spotted a toaster sat on the counter. It was better than nothing.

“I don’t have anything to cook you a meal, but how does toast sound?” He offered and when the man nodded, Victor stood to his feet but hesitated just a moment. “Uh, just… don’t walk anywhere, okay?”

“I won’t.”

Victor’s stare lingered. He believed him, but anxiety wormed its way into his head, constantly searching for a reason to not trust the stranger. He forced his eyes to tear away. He couldn’t expect the stranger to trust him if he didn’t return the favor.

He moved into the kitchen. He was right to assume he had bread – one of the very few things he remembered buying, alongside butter and a block of cheese. It wasn’t much, and Victor had wanted to give the stranger a proper meal, but it was enough. It was all he could give as he shoved bread into the toaster.

It was when he stood back and waited for the toaster to pop that exhaustion swept over his bones. It was a tiredness that came physically. His body needed to rest after a long day of moving boxes and furniture, pushing himself beyond fatigue, but his mind needed to move, to burn his anxious worries out.

He was dreading morning to come, but nothing could stop nightfall slowly ebbing into dawn. His fears came forth, asking Victor what he will do for the man and how he’ll help him, which Victor couldn’t answer. It was a responsibility he wasn’t prepared to face, but an obligation he took, a duty he should fulfill, and Victor knew he should do what was best for the man. Whatever past he had, and dilemma he faced, Victor needed to do what was right.

And somewhere in his weary mind, just as the toaster went _pop!_ , Victor stopped worrying.

“I know it’s not much,” Victor said as he handed the man a plate of toast, “but it’s better than nothing.”

Victor sat down beside the man as he began to eat. Victor couldn’t help but watch. If the man could have opened his mouth any wider, he would have eaten his toast in one bite. He ripped off bite after bite, pulling with his teeth and swallowed before he could chew. When he gulped down one mouthful, without pausing to breathe, he was biting into the toast once again.

He ate his food so fast, so hungrily; Victor struggled to understand why he was so thin until a daunting thought went through his mind. He shouldn’t have expected anything less. As far as Victor was aware, the man was homeless, and hungry, and clearly unable to feed himself for a very long time.

He couldn’t imagine trying to survive like that – without a roof over his head, money in hand, or somebody to be there for him if he were to ever be in that position.

“You haven’t eaten in a while, have you?” Victor found himself asking and he wanted to slap himself. He shouldn’t be so forward, but his mouth was moving on autopilot, and he was still talking; “I wish I could have given you more but, as you can see, I’ve only just moved in. Food wasn’t really… important until I got everything in place.”

“It’s okay,” the man said, pausing for just a moment to reply, “this is… more than enough.”

Victor smiled, and the man continued to eat. He held his tongue to stop asking for more. He was fascinated by the man who revealed so little beyond his sorrowful face that, even with food in his stomach and a warm place to sleep, didn’t soften the torment. His face etched a story – a tale of a man who lost more than Victor could ever imagine.

There was more to the stranger; a story, a name, and Victor didn’t regret his pursuit to discover more.

“I realize I never asked for your name,” Victor commented, but almost wished he hadn’t when the man met his gaze. It was those eyes that shot a spark down Victor’s chest, warming his heart and tearing his nerves apart. “I’m Victor Nikiforov.”

His hands were suddenly clammy and didn’t know what to do with them. He should be shaking the man’s hand but that didn’t feel right, and due to fear of embarrassing himself, he kept them pressed against his thighs.

But the man stared, dumbfounded. “My name?”

“It would be easier for me to address you.”

They were silent for a moment.

“YK29112,” he answered, and words left Victor. His eyes glanced to the man’s ankle, once again, trying to put together a puzzle with pieces that didn’t fit. “That’s my name; YK29112.”

Victor stared, bewildered. He wanted to argue, to tell the man that couldn’t possibly be his name, but the certainty in his face had Victor hold his tongue. It was unreal. His name was code; letters and numbers that made up the tattoo on his ankle, and apparently, his name too. Victor wasn’t sure if he could, or _should_ , believe him.

But it appeared the man noticed his puzzled expression. “But I was… James, he.” He began, then stopped, and Victor waited for his words. “He… he used to call me Yuuri.”

“Yuuri?” He asked, and the man – Yuuri – nodded. He liked that name. It rolled off his tongue like a song, and he wanted to say it again. “Yuuri. Y _uu~_ ri. Oh, my cousin is also named Yuri!”

Victor could imagine if Yuri ever met Yuuri, he wouldn’t be pleased that they shared the same name, and Victor had to bite back his grin. It would be an amusing meeting, but Victor pondered that ever happening.  Yuuri wasn’t going to stay here forever. It was only a temporary stay, a place to sleep while they decided what to do next, but Victor was still stumped. He didn’t _know_ what to do next.

And as if Yuuri just read Victor’s mind, he then spoke; “I need to find James.”

“James?” Victor asked, and Yuuri nodded. “Is he somebody who could give you a place to stay?”

“I think so,” he answered. That didn’t leave Victor feeling confident. “He told me to find him. He said he was in this town somewhere. He didn’t tell me where, but I know I need to find him. He said he would help me.”

“I-I don’t know a James,” Victor admitted. It was hard to ignore the way Yuuri’s face fell. Victor didn’t want to let him down. “I’m sorry.”

He wished he could help; he really did. Yuuri seemed to rely on James for help, but he was asking the wrong person. There were only a handful of people Victor knew in this town, and none were called James.

He didn’t know where James was and neither did Yuuri, and they were faced with another challenge. Victor pondered if Yakov knew who James was, or maybe even Yuri, but not this early in the morning. He couldn’t ask them now, not at –

“Shit. How is it four AM already?” Victor gaped when he caught the time, eyeing the clock that was leaning against some boxes. Yuuri looked too, but towards the window where the sun was slowly rising, and dyed the room in golden hues.

“Do you think we can soon leave to find him?” Yuuri asked, “I need to find him as soon as possible.”

Victor didn’t know the importance behind Yuuri’s search, nor how desperate he was, but Victor decided not to question any further. If Yuuri needed to find James then Victor was willing to help, but Yuuri’s willingness to search wasn’t a great idea while in his state. His feet had only just been cleaned and bandaged, and Victor wanted to keep him off his feet for as long as possible.

Finding James was on his to-do list. He will keep that promise, but it would have to wait until Yuuri could walk again, or…

“You know you can’t walk anywhere for a few days now,” he reminded Yuuri, who glared at his bandaged feet and frowned. Victor’s heart did a flip. “But I could call an ambulance and have them take you to the hospital. That could be an idea?”

In a flash, his eyes darkened. “No,” Yuuri snapped firmly, “no hospitals.”

Victor didn’t like his snappish attitude. It was their best option that would get him help quickly. They could find James or any other family member who may be lurking around, and he didn’t understand why Yuuri wouldn’t want that help. He needed the medical attention regardless, better than Victor’s attempt.

“They can heal your feet and help your search,” Victor tried to negotiate, but Yuuri continued to be stubborn, shaking his head. “They might even know who James is. They could have him on record and contact him. They can do more for you than I can.”

No,” Yuuri continued to deny, and Victor sighed hard. “No. I want nothing to do with hospitals. I’m… I’m okay with waiting for a few days. I need to find him, but I can wait. I think.”

Victor raised a brow. “You think?”

Yuuri looked away, down at his hands as he played with his nails, and remained silent. Victor shouldn’t ask or pry for more, but the suspicion that he was missing something huge was too much to ignore. If Yuuri wanted his help, Victor needed to know more.

“How important is it for you to find James?”

Yuuri didn’t look up as he shrugged. “It’s just… very important,” He answered, and while Victor wished to be told more, it would have to do. “I really need to find him. I need his help.”

Whatever situation Yuuri was in, Victor only prayed that it wasn’t too much to handle. He’d rather not be included if it involved the Mafia, or a hitman. He liked his life and wouldn’t mind avoiding anything that could interfere.

But Victor also felt awful for thinking so, especially when he _offered_ to help. Yuuri wasn’t a problem for him, nor an issue. He was mysterious, but Victor couldn’t explain why. It wasn’t the secret behind his search for James. James was just a person close to Yuuri, somebody he needed to find who could help him. James was just a silhouette while Yuuri was the picture, front and center.

He almost belonged, but not quite. His homeless attire didn’t fit his cleanliness, but his hair matched the stereotype, almost – scruffy and untamed, but still clean and fresh. It was those eyes too, the blazing reds that were anything but natural. They were something out of a book or a dream; a hallucination that glistened brighter than the sun and pierced straight through Victor, yet he couldn’t turn away.

Yuuri was a mystery with no desire to reveal it, his truth hidden behind the allure, and Victor couldn’t blame himself for wanting to discover it.

“No hospitals.”

Yuuri agreed. “No hospitals.”

Victor exhaled a heavy sigh as he moved, taking Yuuri’s silence as an invitation to leave as he walked upstairs. If Yuuri didn’t want to be taken to the hospital, Victor wouldn’t take him, even _if_ it was their best option right now. Victor wanted his trust, and he wasn’t going to betray that.

He did, however, decide that he couldn’t do this by himself. He grabbed his phone from his bed before returning downstairs, scrolling through his contacts, searching for Yakov’s number. The man would be furious with Victor for waking him up so early in the morning, but it was important.

He moved into the kitchen, wanting to avoid Yuuri’s eyes. He could feel his stare on his back, Yuuri’s glare crawling up his spine to sit in the back of Victor’s mind, reminding him of his constant presence – his stare. Victor needed focus. He needed his head straight if he were to wake up Yakov this early in the morning.

But it didn’t feel right – his head. His thumb hovered over Yakov’s name, but he couldn’t make the call; he couldn’t move his fingers. He was hyperaware of Yuuri’s eyes, so much that his brain felt almost consumed by them. He clenched his fist, digging his nails into his palm to distract himself but nothing could occupy his mind. He couldn’t switch off, or tug away from the thought of Yuuri, and Victor had no choice but to turn to meet those blood-filled eyes.

“What are you doing?” He asked, and he wasn’t sure why. He spoke without thinking. He questioned Yuuri when he hadn’t moved an inch, and Victor almost regretted his demand.

“What do you mean?” Yuuri asked, but Victor couldn’t say his heart was in it. His face held the question and confusion, but his eyes darkened like a warning.  It was as if he knew why Victor made his demand – why his head felt so heavy and hot. “I told you. I don’t want to go to the hospital.”

Victor curled his fingers through his bangs and lightly tugged. Something wasn’t right.

But as Yuuri turned away, the heaviness eased, and Victor exhaled a quick breath. The relief swept over him, easing the heaviness and relieving Victor’s mind until his heart jumped to the back of his brain, thumping hard against his skull. The relief was too quick – too sudden, and Victor stroked his hand over his forehead, rubbing to ease the headache forming.

He must be exhausted. It was the only logical explanation Victor had.

Until Victor looked down, and his brain formulated no thoughts other than to register what he was staring at.

His phone no longer sat in the palm of his hand, but centered within a blazing red orb that shifted and flickered, swirling around his phone. It lifted from his hands and floated through the air like a bubble. Victor wanted to blink, rub his eyes, or even pinch himself to check this wasn’t a dream, but his entire being froze. He was unable to move – every wisp of air knocked from his lungs.

His mind was sent reeling, unable to comprehend or process the sight he was looking at. He doubted his sanity until his eyes diverted to Yuuri, and like a blinding punch, the truth hit him with a force of fire.

Yuuri had his hand outstretched, fingers splayed with a pulsing glow emitting through his fingertips. The contained warmth in his eyes was replaced by a scarlet flame, raging hungrily as the orb was pulled in his direction and straight towards his fingertips. As Yuuri grasped for the phone, the room plunged into absolute stillness – no air stirred, or breath exhaled, and Victor’s heart came to a complete stop when their stares locked.

“I had told you,” Yuuri paused with a warning as he dropped the phone on the couch, “no hospitals.”

Victor’s throat closed, unable to speak, but he managed to gulp as he nodded mutely. His trembling fingers clutched for the kitchen counter to support his shaking knees. He couldn’t feel his heart beating anymore. His mind was unwilling to think, trapped in complete shock as all he could do was stare.

Yuuri was a perfect maze of intrigue that looked hard to solve, but there was no end to Victor’s fascination.

This was more than he had ever anticipated – so, _so_ much more.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't often write Victor's POV. I'm a little nervous.
> 
> Which also reminds me, I'm not giving myself a schedule for updating. It's mostly due to stress and I also have other projects that I'm working on in the meantime, but that doesn't mean I'll leave this unfinished, or leave long gaps between updates. Sometimes I might, but I might also end up updating within three days. It depends, but for now, there's no schedule.  
> I hope that doesn't bother anyone, but it's for my own relief.
> 
> But again, thank you for being interested in reading my fic. Kudos and comments are forever appreciated. Thank you! <3


	2. Promises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta-ed by the amazing  
> [itakethewords/Tetris!](https://velvetcovered-brick.tumblr.com/)  
> 

 

Despite what Victor saw, he couldn’t quite believe it.

Yuuri was… Victor could only put Yuuri into one word. He was an enigma – not like a book where the words were written out, a steady flow from one page to another. He was ripped, torn, indecipherable, and held a story that only he knew.

Whatever that story was, and however it may lead, Victor couldn’t find the will to ask for more.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t interested. It was very much the opposite, but his dire need to discover more was almost too much to bear. It consumed him, invading every thought with an explosion of questions as he rapidly searched for an answer. He wished to speak. He wanted to voice his questions but with each attempt, his mind blanked, and any comprehensible thought couldn’t come to him.

He knew better than to doubt his own eyes. It wouldn’t help him cope, even if what he saw _should_ be impossible. It couldn’t be real, but his eyes didn’t deceive him. They didn’t betray his mind, yet he struggled to accept reality that even thinking about it seemed unfathomable.

But Victor couldn’t deny the truth, no matter how crazy he felt just thinking so.

The thought itself sent him reeling – anxiety plunging as he doubted every thought, word, and breath. He was anything but calm. He was a skittish, nervous wreck who didn’t know what to say or do in this situation. He could have never prepared himself for this, to meet somebody so unique but strange, different yet intimidating.

It was too much to believe, but how could Victor believe the impossible?

“Your hands are trembling,” Yuuri commented, staring at Victor’s hands clasped around a well-needed cup of coffee.

He couldn’t remember making himself a coffee, and the memory loss jolted his chest in fear. He cleared his throat and settled the shaking cup down, afraid he might spill it. It wasn’t just his fingers shaking, but his whole body too, and he was thankful he was sat down. His legs might have given out otherwise.

Victor exhaled a heavy breath as his fingers ran through his hair, trying to come to terms with what was happening and how very _real_ this was. It was almost unbelievable to think that he wasn’t dreaming or hallucinating. It was happening. He was truly looking at someone with red eyes and superpowers, sat crossed-legged on his couch as if nothing was strange or different about him, yet he was no different to Victor. It was hard to believe.

He tried to speak but he didn’t know what to stay. He stuttered over his tired words, tongue-tied and struggling to form coherent words until he gave up with a groan. Should he ask Yuuri about his powers, if he was allowed to, or was that conversation completely off the table?

And as if Yuuri had just read his mind – which worried Victor that Yuuri could also _read minds_ – Yuuri said, “If you want to as me how I got my powers, then don’t. I’m not going to tell you.”

“I wasn’t going to…” He began, then stopped himself before he lied. He couldn’t even say he wasn’t going to ask. He shook his head to clear his mind from any thoughts, afraid that Yuuri could also read minds, and exhaled a heavy breath. “You can’t blame me for wanting to ask about them, can you?”

“It’s not your business to know.”

Victor had a feeling Yuuri would be hard to get through to, but he didn’t expect him to be this… difficult.

And sure, Yuuri said it wasn’t his business, but Yuuri didn’t help by leaving a trail of mystery behind him. He couldn’t just arrive, reveal little pieces of his strange life and _not_ expect Victor to want to ask. This was as new to Victor as it was to Yuuri, and Victor couldn’t just leave it at that. It may not be his business, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t ask about other things

“Can I…” Victor began until his words got caught in his throat, trapped behind a lump of fear. He wasn’t prepared for the terror that unexpectedly hit him, but he shouldn’t be afraid to ask. There was a higher chance of Yuuri ignoring his question than something happening, and Victor reminded himself that as he took a long breath.

“Can I ask about your name?”

Yuuri’s lips tightened as his eyes turned dark, and said nothing in response. It wasn’t quite the ‘go-ahead’ Victor had expected – if it even _was_ Yuuri letting him ask – but it was something, and he’d take what he can get.

“You have a tattoo on your ankle,” Victor began, and the way Yuuri’s eyes quickly diverted away from his tugged a nerve in his chest. Perhaps he shouldn’t have asked, but his words spoken. It was too late to turn back. “It’s the same as your name with numbers, YK29112?”

Victor wasn’t sure what to expect upon asking. He hoped for the truth, an explanation to help him understand why Yuuri had his coded name tattooed on his skin, but he wasn’t given a response. He was met with a glare and silent words as Yuuri kept his lips sealed behind a scowl.

But at that moment, Victor saw past the glare. He saw beyond the aggression set on Yuuri’s face and saw the truth behind his silence. It was anger that twisted his lips, but fear which clouded his eyes. It was his hostility that disguised his fear, why he pushed himself into the farthest corner of the couch to get as far away from Victor as he could. It was why he couldn’t utter a word.

Yuuri was afraid. It made some sense to Victor now he realized, but whether that was from his interest to learn more, or of Victor himself, he suspected it was an answer he’d never find out.

“You don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to tell me,” Victor reassured, and watched Yuuri’s eyes when they returned to his. They softened, but his defenses were still up. “This is all… so new to me and there’s so much I want to ask, but I don’t know where to begin or what to say. I’m just… a mess right now.” He exhaled a breath and fell back in his seat. He pulled his legs up to his chest, unsure what to say next.

It seemed to be a running theme with Yuuri, the uncertainty, but he didn’t seem to notice it as much as Victor did. Yuuri mostly just stared. It was only when he was hiding something did Yuuri look away, but his eyes hardly left Victor’s. It was as if he was searching through them, trying to find answers to his own discovery, and Victor began to wonder if Yuuri was just as intrigued with him as he was with Yuuri.

But all thoughts left him when he felt the cold press of Makkachin’s nose in his palm. Victor smiled down at the whining companion demanding his attention and scratched behind her ear. Her tail began to wag, and in the corner of Victor’s eye, he could see Yuuri slowly inching forward.

“I like her,” Victor heard Yuuri speak, “what’s her name?”

“Makkachin.”

Yuuri inhaled a shaky breath as Victor looked up. His stare was curious, watching Makkachin’s every move with intrigue, and Victor stopped petting the companion, so she could move towards Yuuri. She first sniffed his foot as Yuuri pushed himself back into the couch, hesitant to her curiosity.

When Yuuri didn’t try to interact, Victor moved to sit beside him. He gently took Yuuri’s hand in his own and ignored Yuuri’s bug-eyed stare, slowly encouraging Yuuri to hold his hand out for Makkachin to sniff. He could feel Yuuri’s fingers trembling beneath his, wary of the companion, and as she licked his fingertips he tugged his hand back, hugging it close to his chest. Victor couldn’t help his laugh. It was silly to see Yuuri so afraid of Makkachin.

“She doesn’t bite,” Victor told him, but the frightful stare Yuuri had held doubt. “She’ll most likely lick you and demand attention, but she’s not aggressive in any way.”

Yuuri gulped as he nodded and soon calmed down enough to try again. Victor curled his fingers around his palm to extend his hand out, moving Yuuri forward until his fingers delved through Makkachin’s fur. Victor heard his soft gasp, but he kept his fingers still, letting Victor introduce him.

“She’s soft,” Yuuri said with a small grin on his lips, and Victor’s heart warmed.

He showed Yuuri how to pet her. He moved Yuuri’s hand back and forth, told him where she liked to be scratched, and soon, not a hint of hesitancy was seen in Yuuri’s face. Victor let him get to know Makkachin himself, and smiled at Yuuri’s enjoyment. It was the first bit of softness Victor had seen from Yuuri – the first time he truly put his guard down and smiled.

He left Yuuri to pet Makkachin alone while he emptied his cold cup of coffee and made himself a new one. It was six AM now. He long decided there was no point in trying to catch up on sleep. He’d only toss and turn in bed, frustrated, and Victor didn’t feel like putting himself through that. He’d have to live on coffee for the day and get an early night sleep, if that would be possible.

He watched Yuuri from the kitchen, fresh coffee in hand, and smiled at Yuuri playing with Makkachin. As much as he was a little uncertain of his unexpected visitor, it was nice to see Yuuri let himself go a little. There wasn’t so much tension in the air and Victor could finally exhale a breath of relief. He didn’t feel so afraid to say or do anything to push Yuuri back into his protective bubble.

But watching Yuuri play with Makkachin had Victor thinking. There was something so alien about him. It was as if he’d never seen most of what Victor knew so well. If he wasn’t staring at Victor, his eyes were around the room, scanning and taking in every little detail like he was only just experiencing it. He was like a stranger on Earth – a visitor from an unknown place. Victor wasn’t certain how he felt about that.

He did know it didn’t sit well in his stomach. It twisted and turned, tugging his insides with uncertainty, but he couldn’t be confident on any assumption. It was yet another puzzle Victor couldn’t piece together.

It had him thinking. Yuuri had abilities. He could do things nobody else could do, and Victor pondered the extent of his powers and how far they go. He could conclude Yuuri’s first power – the strange orb he conjured. Whatever that was, it seemed safe, but Victor couldn’t say with confidence that it was all Yuuri could do. The lingering headache in the back of his skull had him doubt.

He wanted to ask but he was afraid to push Yuuri back into his wary stance. He only just got Yuuri to settle down comfortably; he didn’t want to ruin it with more questions, but the memory sent chills up his spine. He needed to ask. This one he couldn’t let slide.

“Do you remember before you took my phone away from me?” Victor asked as he returned to his seat. Yuuri didn’t look up as he nodded, too interested in playing with Makkachin to care. Victor cleared his throat. “What did you do to my head?”

And the second Yuuri came to a complete stop, Victor’s heart jumped to his throat. He sat frozen, eyes shot wide as he began chewing n his bottom lip. Makkachin whined to be petted again, but Yuuri didn’t continue as he pulled his legs up to his chest and cleared his throat.

“Nothing, it was just…” Yuuri paused to look away, guilty. “Nothing.”

Victor didn’t believe that. Yuuri must have done something and he was certain. It wasn’t a normal headache he had, nor was what happened something he’d ever experienced before. It was as if somebody else had accessed his mind and was prying through his deepest thoughts to only get so far. His brain felt violated, used and polluted by somebody else that he was afraid to think freely.

“Don’t do that to me again.”

Victor’s warning was a threat, and the way Yuuri’s eyes darkened made him certain. Yuuri had another power, one he was keeping a secret.

“Then don’t give me a reason to.”

Victor refused to let his fear etch on his face. He held himself still, tightening his fingers into fists to compose himself with steady breaths. He should have a little more faith in Yuuri, especially while he had demanded it in return, but his threat was menacing. Yuuri was terrifying when he had that look.

He tried to find words to say in return – to bite back at Yuuri’s comment – but nothing came out. His voice was trapped behind the lump in his throat, afraid that if he’ll say the wrong thing, Yuuri might do it again. He wondered if just telling Yuuri that would ease the tension between them, but he didn’t know how to.

“You’re afraid of me, aren’t you?”

And Victor’s theory that Yuuri could read minds was slowly being proven.

“You’re very intimidating when you want to be,” Victor spoke with a tremble in his voice. He cleared his throat and began playing with his nails to distract himself. “I’ve just… never met anyone like you. You’re one of a kind and, well, it’s… scary. I might even just be afraid of the unknown more than I am afraid of you, but what you just said, I-I don’t know what you’re capable of. I don’t know what you can do to me, and that’s scary too.”

He had surprised himself. He didn’t expect to find a way to make sense of his feelings, but talking it out loud helped, and he felt better for it too. It was okay for him to be afraid of the unknown. Yuuri wasn’t a toy or something for him to poke and prod at. He was a human person with abilities that shouldn’t exist. It didn’t surprise him that he was so cautious about it.

But he should at least explain that to Yuuri too. He held a curious stare, brows furrowed together, and that didn’t reassure Victor that Yuuri knew that too.

“What you can do, it's not normal, Yuuri,” He began, and as Yuuri’s brows dropped, Victor realized Yuuri truly didn’t know how unique he was. “It’s not common. I’m certain that nobody else on this planet can do what you do, and I’m not certain that you know that. What you can do… it should be impossible, but it isn’t. I just don’t know how to handle that.”

When Victor looked up, his heart stopped. There was a sudden change in Yuuri. His eyes were no longer wide with surprise or intrigue, but glazed over with a fresh gloss of tears.

“It’s not normal?”

Victor’s heart sank as he shook his head. “No. It’s not.”

Yuuri appeared to be in a battle with himself. He stuttered over his words, lost and uncertain on what to say as he gasped out his breaths. Victor wanted to move towards Yuuri, to comfort him throughout his frantic debate, but something kept Victor back – a feeling that nervously tugged his gut and sat him still.

“They…” Yuuri stopped to wipe his eyes, forcing his tears back as he mumbled, “they lied to me.”

“Who lied to you?” Victor asked, but Yuuri didn’t reply. He kept his eyes down, refusing to meet Victor’s stare, but he wasn’t surprised by that. “Was it James who lied to you?”

“Everyone,” Yuuri muttered darkly as he turned away. “It was everyone.”

Victor wished to tell Yuuri that everything would be alright, but if he couldn’t believe his own words, how could Yuuri? Whoever lied to Yuuri, whatever lies he was told, it hurt him in more ways than Victor could ever understand.

Victor noticed the rage in his eyes – the burning inferno that he tried to hide as he quickly wiped his eyes dry. It was as if he was furious at himself for letting this get to him, and Victor wanted to help, he really did, but this as something out of his control. He couldn’t help with what he didn’t know. There was nothing he could say or do to make this any easier for Yuuri, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t willing to try.

“I…” Victor paused, suddenly doubting that his next words would help, but he couldn’t say nothing either. “I just want you to know that I won’t ever lie to you, Yuuri. I know you might not believe that–”

“I don’t,” Yuuri cut in.

Victor cleared his throat. “ _But_ I want to prove it to you.”

Yuuri didn’t look his way, doubtful of his words, but Victor was willing to prove himself, even if he didn’t know how. Words wouldn’t do. He needed to show it to Yuuri, for him to believe it with his own two eyes, and as Victor caught his phone sticking out of Yuuri’s pocket, he found a way to do so.

“If you let me have my phone, I can prove it to you that I wasn’t and won’t call the hospital.”

Yuuri didn’t quite look at Victor, but his eyes turned his direction, almost.

“And what happens if you’re lying to me?”

“I’m sure you can stop me before I tell them where you are.”

Yuuri’s stare narrowed, cautiously watching Victor’s every move. Victor held his stare to prove a point, meeting those glossy red eyes that reminded him of hot glass. Even if he was lying to Yuuri, turning away would be tough. If he could, he would never take his eyes of Yuuri.

“I just need to call either my uncle or cousin,” Victor explained, “I’ll even let you listen to the call, if that makes it any easier for you?”

Negotiating seemed to do the trick. Yuuri’s caution didn’t ease, but he nodded as he returned Victor’s phone. There was relief finally having it back in his palms, but knowing he could be met with so many missed calls and texts almost had him want to return it.

“I want it back when you’re done,” Yuuri said, and Victor nodded. “It made a noise a while ago.”

Victor was surprised to see a lack of messages, but realized why when he remembered how early in the morning it was. It explained why only Lilia had texted him. She’d always been an early bird.

“I’m just going to call my uncle, okay?” Victor told Yuuri, fully prepared to be met with suspicion, but they made a negotiation and Victor reminded him that; “I’ll put it on loudspeaker, remember? You can listen and know who I’m contacting.”

Yuuri nodded eagerly and Victor smiled as he dialed Yakov’s number. They listened to it ring once, then again, and continued until it went to Yakov’s voicemail. Victor hung up with a sigh. He had hoped to at least say hello to the man; he hadn’t spoken to Yakov since he moved in.

A pang of worry filled his gut, but he pushed that aside. “He didn’t answer.”

Victor went to pocket his phone when he up to find Yuuri staring at him, worry tugging his lips into a frown and brows knitted together. He almost forgot he made a promise.

“Like I said,” Victor said as he returned his phone to Yuuri, “I wasn’t going to call the hospital.”

“But you could have.”

He couldn’t say Yuuri was wrong, but he wasn’t going to admit that. He hadn’t realized how nervous he was until he spoke with a slight tremble in his voice; “I hope that was enough to help you trust me.”

When Yuuri didn’t respond, Victor couldn’t help his huff.

“I know it wasn’t much, but I’ll do what I can to help,” he promised, but where he hoped for Yuuri to acknowledge his words, Yuuri kept his head down. He turned away, eyes focused on Makkachin asleep on her dog bed rather than Victor. “I hope you can believe me one day.”

Something went through Yuuri’s mind – a flash of paint hat squeezed his eyes shut and twisted his lips into a scowl. Victor held his tongue to stay silent, afraid he’ll say something else wrong. It wasn’t the reaction he expected, nor anticipated, but when Yuuri’s fingers curled through his hair and tugged, Victor couldn’t let him deal with that alone.

“Shit, Yuuri…” Victor cursed as he moved onto the couch. “if it was something I said, I didn’t… my intentions are good, I promise.”

“That’s what they all say,” Yuuri muttered. He removed his hand from his hair, which was good, but he kept his gaze away. He refused to look Victor in the eye. “Their intentions are always believed to be good, but it wasn’t. It isn’t.”

Victor raised a brow. “Whose intentions?”

He didn’t expect an answer, but it was worth the try. Yuuri squeezed his eyes shut as he shook his head, and choked out a noise that sounded like a sob, but no tears fell. Victor didn’t know what to say, or do. He had never been the best at helping people through their misery, especially if they were crying, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t try.

“What is it you want from me, Yuuri?”

And like a switch, Yuuri shifted. His expression eased into something less sinister, but Victor saw exhaustion in his eyes – a tiredness that a good night sleep wouldn’t solve. He didn’t look at Victor when his gaze turned back, not entirely. He stared ahead, eyes aimlessly lost as he curled his fingers around his knees and tucked them against his chest.

“I will only ask you for two things,” Yuuri began, and Victor nodded. “The first is that you look for James while I can’t. I’m not going to tell you what he looks like, so don’t try to ask me. Just… keep looking for James. He’ll know and when he does, he’ll find me.”

Victor wasn’t sure how much he trusted Yuuri’s words. If he couldn’t know what James looked like, how could he approach a James to ask them if they knew Yuuri?

But Victor nodded regardless. This was progress and he could finally feel them moving forward. He hadn’t realized he’d gone around this all wrong, not until he asked Yuuri what he wanted from Victor. He shouldn’t have guessed, or assumed, but asked Yuuri – be told what he needed to do.

“And second, no matter the circumstances or how much trouble you’re in, I want you to say nothing about me,” Yuuri warned. “If _anyone_ asks about me, even if it’s somebody you trust yourself, you don’t tell them a word. If it’s anyone other than James, you say nothing.”

Victor didn’t blink for a ten seconds – at least. “What?”

“I don’t mind if you lie to me about searching for James. I can do that myself when I can walk, but please, don’t… let a single soul know that you know me.”

Victor’s mind rapidly searched for a reason. He was curious and a little afraid too, uncertain what kind of trouble Yuuri may be in, but he would keep this promise to Yuuri. He suspected it was more than for Yuuri’s sake, but a warning – a way to tell Victor this was for his own safety too, without explaining any further.

“I won’t tell anyone,” Victor promised, but that wasn’t all he had to say; “but I will ask why. You don’t have to say, just… if you want to, I will listen.”

Yuuri hesitated. Victor waited with anticipation, hoping, _praying_ that Yuuri might finally tell Victor something he’d been dying to know since they met, but when Yuuri exhaled a sigh and shook his head, he knew he shouldn’t have got his hopes up.

“The less you know, the better,” Yuuri said, “I just… need to stay hidden, until James finds me. So, just do as I say and don’t tell anyone about me. Pretend I don’t exist. If you want me to trust you, you’ll do that for me.”

Victor’s heart was racing. “Okay.”

“No matter what they say or reveal about me, you promise you’ll still not say a word?” Yuuri asked, and Victor was truly beginning for fear whoever ‘they’ were. Yuuri didn’t hold his fear anymore. It was the further unknown – those he couldn’t see.

“I promise.”

Maybe Victor was being stupid for accepting all this and willingly letting Yuuri, who was still very much a stranger, into his home. He might be selfish too, influenced by his curiosity, but he couldn’t turn his back on someone who needed help.

Yuuri needed somebody to rely on while his savior was searching for him, and Victor would have to be enough to fill the role. If it all turned sour, he could regret it later, but right now, Victor would keep his promise until James arrives.

He’ll help until Yuuri is gone, and after everything he’s seen, he can pretend this was all just a strange dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS.  
> CHAPTER...
> 
> Okay, so I've struggled with chapters in the past. I've hit like, 5 drafts of a chapter before, that's nothing too annoying for me.  
> BUT THIS CHAPTER? I had written TWELVE drafts for this. TWELVE! I don't know why this chapter was so hard for me to write and piece together, but everything either felt wrong or misplaced, stupid or hard to write, an d I jus t?????
> 
> But it's done. It's not perfect and nowhere near how proud I was of my first chapter, but it's here, and I hope you guys like it.
> 
> There was a silver lining, however. During my suffering, I thought up of a few good scenes and situations involving other characters. I hope you guys are excited, because I am!!
> 
> I apologize for the wait. I know I'm usually better than this, but i'm hopeful that the next few chapters will be a little easier for me. (Just dont hold me to that!) Kudos and comments are always appreciated. Much love!!! <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Important notes at the end.

Once the initial aftershock wore off, life slipped back into a comfortable normality.

It wasn’t completely normal of course, given Victor was still caring for a man with superpowers, but it was as normal as it could be. And as things went back to normal, Victor realized he’d been neglecting too much.

It wasn’t himself or Makkachin he’d been neglecting, nor Yuuri. It was everything else. It was unpacking boxes and messaging relatives he promised to keep in touch with. Lilia gave him a long lecture after Yuuri finally gave him permission to use his phone. Yuri shouted too, complaining that he’d been texting Victor only to receive no responses. Victor was tired of it all by day four. His home was still a mess, he was being yelled at, and he was at the peak of stress.

If anything, Yuuri was the reason why Victor had been ignoring his responsibilities. He’d been so trapped inside his own head the past few days, lost in a sea of questions that frantically searched for an answer to explain the unusual man still living with him, but the shock faded; the ocean settled, and Victor could finally breathe and think.

He wasn’t confident in his ability to think, but he calmed, and that was enough.

It gave him time to sit down and think about what he was going to do with Yuuri. He wasn’t going to kick him out, or pass him onto someone else for them to deal with – even _if_ Victor believed Yakov would be a more suitable carer than himself – but he needed to do something. He’d been sat around in a state of shock since Yuuri arrived, unable to think coherent thoughts or process that this was real until days later, and Victor was tired of doing nothing.

He made a promise, but he had yet to begin his search for James. It wasn’t that he didn’t know where to start or what to do, but Yuuri hadn’t made this easy for him. He didn’t give him much to work with – no last name, information, or description to help Victor. Yuuri gave him nothing but a name, and it would have to do.

It was enough to keep it discreet, especially while Victor needed to ask around – And while that didn’t _completely_ influence his decision to say yes when Yuri asked to meet up for lunch that weekend, it was an excuse. It would be a start to ask and finally begin his search, but it would be nice to see his cousin too.

“Jesus, you look fucking awful.”

And as Victor sat opposite Yuri at the café he promised, late and without a phone, he wondered if he should have just stayed in bed.

“I don’t look that bad,” Victor defended, subconsciously patting his hair. He may need a shower and another comb through his hair, but he tried hard not to look like he was letting himself go.

Yuri scoffed with doubt. “You look like you crawled out of the wrong side of the bed three days ago and you haven’t moved since.”

Victor groaned as he ran his fingers through his bangs, brushing out the knots he didn’t quite get. He didn’t think he looked that bad when he left the house, and Yuuri said he looked fine. He certainly felt awful, but now knowing he looked it too didn’t help.

“I’ve been busy, what do you expect?” He asked, choosing to gloss over the very _minor_ detail of the visitor he’s been looking after, and cleared his throat. “I need a coffee.”

“Well, be glad that I ordered you one,” Yuri said as he pushed forward a cup of warm brew towards him. The smell itself was enough to perk Victor up a little. He curled his fingers around the cup and took a desperate sip as Yuri continued; “I also ordered our food as well, so if you don’t like it, don’t blame me since you were _late_.”

Victor smiled, thankful for Yuri’s generosity. He happily took another sip from his coffee and ignored the light burn on his tongue when he shot his cousin a doubtful stare. Yuri wasn’t kind on a whim.

“What’s the catch?” He asked.

Yuri gave him a mischievous smile. “You have to pay for my order too.”

“Why do I?”

“Because you’ve got all your father’s money and I’m a poor student with no job,” Yuri stated, then shrugged, “I’ll take what I can get.”

Victor couldn’t argue with that, and when both fell silent, he exhaled a long yawn. After Yuri had pointed out how terrible he looked, his eyes grew heavy with sleep. He hadn’t felt this tired in a long time. Even his coffee wasn’t enough to help him keep his eyes open, and he was scrubbing them when Yuri scoffed and asked, “Surely unpacking isn’t _that_ tiring?”

“I still haven’t finished,” Victor said as he yawned again. He may not feel as exhausted as he did that first day, but his tiredness clung onto him like a desperate child and Victor was struggling to shrug it off. “I’ve only unpacked my bedroom and a _little_ bit in my kitchen, but that’s it.”

“It’s been four days,” Yuri reminded, but Victor didn’t need to be told. “What else have you been doing?”

There was so much he’d been doing – caring for a man with superpowers who may or may not be in trouble, and could _possibly_ be a fugitive, so Victor recently concluded, but he was most definitely not going to tell Yuri that.

“Uh, nothing.”

“Well, obviously,” Yuri laughed. It was the least bit entertaining, but Victor gave a weak smile to play the part. “You didn’t have to be so dramatic and do it all yourself. I could come over after this if you-?”

“No!” Victor nearly shouted. He slapped his hands over his mouth and glanced around, but nobody other than Yuri appeared to be startled by his reaction. He _may_ have said no a little too frantically for it to be seen as normal, and the strange glare Yuri was giving him didn’t reassure Victor. He dropped his hands, cleared his throat, and tried to compose himself as he continued; “Uh… no. No, no it’s… no, it’s fine.”

Yuri pulled a face, scowling as a scoff expelled from his lips. “As I said, you didn’t have to be so dramatic about it.”

Victor ignored his comment as he turned his stare to the window. He began tapping his fingers on the table, a weak attempt to tell his mind to get itself together, but the silence between them was helping. It gave him a time-out. It allowed him to take a long deep breath, settle his pounding heart, and rest the nervous anxiety building in the back of his mind.

But it was so strange. He was sat there with knowledge that nobody else in the room knew. He knew things that others could only dream of and seen the impossible with his own two eyes. They didn’t know who was sat inside his home, and what he was capable of. They had no idea, and Victor suddenly felt big in that tiny, busy room. It was strange to think – hard to comprehend.

“Yakov sends his regards.”

And just like that, he was back in reality. “So, he’s not ignoring me after all?”

“He’s been busy,” Yuri answered, but Victor didn’t believe that wasn’t enough to explain his complete absence. “There was an emergency at work and he’s been busy sorting that out, blah, blah. I really don’t care. It happens sometimes, so you should just get used to it.”

Victor raised a brow. “An emergency?” He asked, wanting more than just ‘an emergency’. He needed information, details that everyone seemed to be neglecting to give him.

“Yeah, and that’s all he ever says, so don’t try to ask him about it. He won’t tell you,” Yuri shrugged, leaving Victor feeling annoyed. “When I next see him, I’ll let him know that you want to talk to him. I might even try to drag him along next week when we meet. You can talk to him yourself.”

Victor’s annoyance was replaced by an excited grin. If Yuri kept to his words, he’d finally see his uncle. He couldn’t lie and say he didn’t miss Yakov. It had been years since he’d seen the man. It would be nice to catch up after so long.

“That would be great.”

Their food arrived, handed to them by a waitress who seemed to know Yuri rather well, but Victor didn’t waste time with introductions before he was shoveling down his meal. He’d been getting hungry, and he hoped Yuuri was doing okay making his own food. He wasn’t very skilled in the kitchen, but he ate what he could. As long as he didn’t go hungry, Victor could accept him eating a spoonful of mayonnaise followed by six cookies.

“I assume you haven’t looked around town yet?” Yuri asked with a mouthful of food, and it took Victor a moment to understand what he said.

“Oh, no. Not yet,” he shook his head. It was mostly Yuuri’s fault, but also his own for not finishing everything when he should have. “I’ve been trying to unpack first, but when everything is done and I’m not falling asleep every five minutes, I will.”

“Good. I’m getting tired of people asking where you’ve been.”

Victor raised a brow. “What?”

“It’s not a lot, but it’s still annoying. It’s not every day we get somebody new in town, so people get curious, especially when it’s someone related to anyone,” Yuri explained with a slight scowl on his lips, evidently annoyed by the attention he’s received from Victor’s arrival. “Mila’s been bugging me to bring you here since a month ago, so that’s the only reason why we’re here today.”

“But not the reason why we’re returning next week?” Victor teased, and Yuri rolled his eyes as he turned away. “Well, when I do finish unpacking, I’ll be sure to give you a call so you can show me around.”

“Don’t bother,” Yuri shrugged, taking a sip from his drink. “It’s normally pretty boring around here anyway.”

Victor frowned. He would have liked a tour guide, but he wouldn’t mind looking around by himself. He enjoyed adventure and Makkachin would have fun too, he just didn’t know what he’d do with Yuuri. He’d like for him to come along too, but he wondered if Yuuri would still be around by then. His heart ached in despair, but he swallowed back the sorrow. He didn’t want to think about that.

But Victor was reminded of his promise to Yuuri – the search he needed to begin. He took a deep breath. “Can I ask you something?”

“Well, it depends,” Yuri replied with his brows hung low. He didn’t look as confused as Victor expected, but taken back. Perhaps it was from the question, or maybe the seriousness in his voice – Victor didn’t know. “What does it entail?”

“Somebody who you might know?”

Yuri gave a single nod. “Go on.”

Victor wasn’t sure why he was nervous, but his heart was racing in his chest. Perhaps it was the courage to ask, or fear that Yuri would demand answers that Victor couldn’t give? He didn’t know, but he held onto his breath.

“I was just wondering…” He paused. It was now or never. “Do you know anyone named James?”

“James?” Yuri asked, and Victor nodded. He stopped for a moment to think and Victor’s heart sat on edge, nervous for Yuri’s reply. “Not personally. One of my teachers is named James, and there was a James at the church… That’s all I can think of from the top of my head.”

Victor nodded and mentally stored those people away. He’d have to remind himself later to write down what Yuri told him so he won’t forget. He’ll have to ask around to find where the school and church are, but he was finally making progress. Whether they were the correct James’ or the wrong people, it was still a step, and Victor was pleased.

“Okay, okay good,” he nodded, exhaling a breath of relief. “That’s good, thank you.”

“Why?”

And in an instant, his entire being froze. His mouth hung open, desperate to find words to explain Yuri a false truth, but he didn’t know what to tell him. He couldn’t admit the truth; he made a promise, but he couldn’t say nothing either.

Then there was a sudden shift in the air, a breath of wind that silenced the room and attracted everyone’s gaze – everyone except Victor. He blinked, eyes scanning the room at the crowd who was staring towards the doorway. Even Yuri was, but his was a harsh glare, and Victor needed to look.

He wasn’t sure who he was looking at, or why they held the attention of everyone in the room. It was a couple stood at the doorway – a man and a woman. They didn’t seem any different to anyone else. They didn’t appear to like the stares either, turning their own down to the ground as they moved to find a place to sit.

“Who are they and why is everyone staring?” Victor asked in a low tone, matching everyone else’s silence.

Yuri said nothing as he smirked, and Victor didn’t like the look in his eyes as he let out a dull chuckle. “Isabella and JJ Leroy, but don’t worry about them,” he said with a wave of his hand. “He’s finally lost it.”

Victor blinked as he raised a brow. “What do you mean?”

“JJ hasn’t _completely_ lost it, Yuri,” a new voice joined in, one that belonged to a girl. It was their waitress who Victor vaguely recalled Yuri calling her Mila. “He’s just…”

“He’s crazy.”

Victor glanced at the two, completely lost as he announced, “I am confused.”

Mila sat down beside Yuri, pushing the grumpy teen further against the wall as she made herself comfortable. “Something little Yuri here didn’t tell you is how scandalous this is!” She smiled while Yuri scoffed. “He’s the mayor’s son and he’s made some claims that have been enough for the entire town to hear and believe he’s gone crazy. You should tell him, Yuri, it’s a weird story.”

“It’s nothing and he’s _just_ crazy,” Yuri complained as he sighed heavily. “He claims he saw a monster a few nights ago.”

“A monster?”

“With big red eyes and huge claws that pushed the car back!” Mila exclaimed with a little too much joy in her voice, but Victor had no time to fret that the couple might hear her. His mind turned to Yuuri – to his bright red eyes and strange abilities, and he began to wonder. “I’ve seen the damages too. Whatever it was, it actually damaged their car!”

Yuri groaned loudly as his head fell backward. “It was just a bear,” he sighed tiredly, “but I’m completely on board with calling him crazy.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Victor stopped the two before they could continue. He’d seen enough strange things since meeting Yuuri, he didn’t need something else on his plate of improbabilities. “What do you mean he saw a monster with red eyes and claws?”

“That’s what he claimed to see,” Mila confirmed with a nod of her head while Yuri rolled his eyes. “They were driving along the outskirts of town when it ran across the road. They nearly hit it, and apparently, that’s what made it react. It pushed their car back before running away into the forest. Crazy, right?!”

“It’s just like I’ve been saying, he’s crazy.”

Victor didn’t know what to say. It did seem crazy, but that’s all he’s known since letting Yuuri into his home. He felt just as crazy as JJ, except he knew for certain his crazy was real. His crazy came as a black-haired, red-eyed stranger who was afraid of Makkachin and ate mayonnaise thinking it was edible by itself. There were no monsters involved, just a strange person with powers.

And suddenly, Yuuri seemed very little compared to a monster, but Victor had his doubts that what JJ saw was a monster. His mind searched to make sense of things, to put the pieces together and come up an explanation, one that had Victor conclude that what JJ saw was no monster.

It was Yuuri. It just had to be.

He may be stupid for putting the two together, or completely wrong with his conclusion, but there was sense to it, and Victor would cling onto that for as long as he could. Yuuri _had_ been running one night, and if it was the same night JJ saw the monster, Victor’s doubts would lessen. Yuuri even had another power he refused to tell, and that could be anything, such as turning into a monster to escape something. Victor may be trying to force the pieces together, but they fit so well. Yuuri could have been the monster JJ saw. It was possible.

And it had Victor doubtful he’d ever tell anyone about Yuuri. He made a promise to Yuuri, but he had thought about mentioning it to Yakov or Yuri one day, telling them about the time he met a man with powers and what strange adventure he’d been on, but the idea of being known as the towns ‘crazy person’ wasn’t appealing. He liked to be looked at, but not with judgmental stares and whispers spoken.

“Crazy or not, you’d be the same if you saw the unexplainable,” Mila said as she got up. She then looked his way with a serious look weighed on her face, completely different to her expression just moments ago. “Just try to be nice to them. They haven’t had the best year and I think this was the last thing they needed to happen, but you seem nice anyway.”

Mila then left, not another word was spoken to explain their bad year or if they’ve been met with harsh words before all this, and Victor was left with more questions than he anticipated. He was just as curious to what was going on with JJ, much like everyone else, but he had a frightening thought – a sudden shudder up his spine.

If the townspeople reacted this badly to JJ, how would they react if Yuuri was exposed to them?

“They’re nuts, both of them,” Yuri grumbled as he finished off the last of his meal. “Isabella hasn’t said much, but I don’t doubt she’s claiming the same.”

“Well, I think what Mila said is right,” he began, admiring her choice of words. “Crazy or not, you’d be the same if you saw the unexplainable.”

Yuri scoffed as he looked away, eyes falling to the couple sat eating their meal. “If I saw the unexplainable, I wouldn’t be stupid enough to announce it.”

And as Victor thought of Yuuri, he nodded. He’d never announce Yuuri’s presence, for his sake, and for Victor’s own.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all. Sorry for the shorter-than-usual update, but I wanted to get this up and explain a few things.
> 
> I'm putting this fic on hiatus for a while. In fact, I might go on hiatus from writing for a little while too, I haven't decided yet, but this fic is going on slight without a doubt. I'm sorry.
> 
> I've been having a lot of trouble with writing lately. It's at the point where I hate every idea I think of and everything I write. It's too much for me and I'm just... struggling. I'm really having a hard time with writing and it's breaking my heart knowing that. It's the last thing I want to do. I never want to leave a story unfinished, or stop midway, but for my own sake, I need to. I can't keep forcing myself through hours of rewriting the same thing, hating everything I write, then feeling horrible that I can't give an update you all deserve.
> 
> Again, I'm sorry. I hate this as much as you might, but I need to just... take a break. I need to let my mind clear. It feels so... full, and heavy, and it's making writing much more harder than it needs to be. If you have any advice, hell, I'd take it. I don't want to go on a break, especially when I had one before this fic, but things are just... not going well for me.
> 
> There might even be a moment where I upload a new fic instead and try again. Who knows. I just need to do something, whether that's taking a break, write something new, or just... I don't know. I'll do something, maybe? I'm not even certain myself. I just need to do something.
> 
> Kudos and comments are always appreciated. I love you guys so much. I hope this doesn't upset you all, but I need to be selfish. I'm sorry.  
> Much love <3

**Author's Note:**

> Follow my Tumblr!  
> [Click here!](http://axlaida.tumblr.com)  
> 


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